HOW TO AVOID A MAJOR HIRING AND TRAINING MISTAKE

Companies make a major mistake in hiring and training because they don’t understand critical factors of employee performance. Many companies spend time and effort on identifying the correct skill sets when hiring. Then, after a candidate is finally hired the company will invest in training the new employee in the skills, processes, and procedures for doing the job. In addition, the new employee will look to increase his or her skills and understanding of the business. The employee attends training on the latest systems or learns the latest sales techniques. The employee gets training on the features and benefits of the products and services. Most of the time is spent on learning the nuts and bolts. Many businesses see this as the most important path to success.

Fast forward. The employee leaves the company. The hiring manager searches for candidates that have the same skill sets as the person who left or was fired. The search is limited, perhaps, to the specific industry leaving out many other qualified candidates. The company hires the next person and the process repeats itself. This costly turnover creates poor performance and poor customer service. It doesn’t have to be this way.

It is certainly important to look at skill requirements when searching for candidates. But what is missing here? What happens if the next person you hire has great skills and experience? This is the perfect candidate and you have great expectations of super performance. Several months pass and performance does not turn out as expected. Before long the person resigns or is asked to leave. What’s wrong with this picture?

The employee knew what to do and how to do it. But that alone does not guarantee success.

While skills and experience are important, attitudes and behaviors are far more important and are a far better indicator of success. It is far more important to find out whether a prospective employee has shared values with the organization and will behave and execute in a manner consistent with the organization’s culture. Do you know a business owner or hiring manager that struggles with this? There is a better way to hire and develop people.

Hiring the candidate with the right attitudes and behaviors is more important than the skills. Managers can be taught how to interview and ask the right questions using a process known as behavior based interviewing. Such a process brings out the candidate’s attitude toward a problem and will also indicate his behavior and past habits.

Secondly, training and development should focus not only on knowing the core skills but also on the development of human potential and human relationships.

This is best illustrated by the K.A.S.H. Box below.

In working with our corporate clients we focus on the right side of the box. Concentrating hiring, training, and development on this side has proven to produce breakthrough performance.